DDCA Joint Secretary expresses concern over appointment of selectors and support staff in Delhi

A view of the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore) NEW DELHI: Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) joint secretary Amit Grover has formally raised objections to the proposed appointment of Varun Sood and Manu Nayyar as part of the Delhi cricket set-up, questioning whether they meet the prescribed eligibility criteria.In an email sent to members of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) on Friday, a copy of which is with TimesofIndia.com, Grover said he wanted to register his concerns before the tender was closed. He urged the committee to examine the relevant records and applicable rules before making a final decision on the proposed appointments. The e-mail is addressed to ČAK members and copied to DDCA top brass.“Regarding the proposed appointment of coaches and selectors, I wish to formally record my reservations regarding the proposed appointment of Mr. Varun Sood and Mr. Manu Nayyar, particularly with regard to their eligibility and compliance with the prescribed criteria,” Grover wrote in an email.Manu Nayyar has been appointed as the Senior Men’s Team Selector and Varun Sood as the Assistant Coach of the Men’s U-19 Team. It is worth noting that there was an issue with Nayyar’s availability last season as he was reportedly absent due to overseas league commitments when the teams were selected in the DDCA.“All the rules have been carefully followed. Everyone who has been appointed has played cricket at the highest level. They have been in the system for a long time. Manu Nayyar is yet to complete his five-year term, while Varun has recently retired from playing cricket and knows something about how modern cricket works. We are all thinking about improving these cricket emails and cricket recipients.”TimesofIndia.com reached out to DDCA Secretary Ashok Sharma for comment but did not receive a response.Former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya was re-appointed as the head coach of the Delhi Ranji Trophy team as the DDCA appointed coaches, mentors and High Performance Center staff, with several former players and their sons also finding assignments in the appointments. There are 22 coaches, including head coaches, assistant coaches, bowling coaches and fielding coaches, appointed across the senior men’s team to U-14 level, while 18 have been appointed across the various women’s teams.Meanwhile, Grover stressed that the concerns were raised before the tendering process was finalized and therefore should be considered by the CAC before finalizing any appointment. He said the committee should ensure that all eligibility conditions and prescribed criteria were fulfilled.The DDCA Joint Secretary also questioned the proposed composition of the selection committee, pointing out that it appears to have essentially the same selectors who were associated with the process last year.His concern comes against the backdrop of what he described as Delhi cricket’s disappointing performances. Grover acknowledged that continuity could have its advantages, but urged the CAC to exercise “greater care and prudence” in selecting coaches and selectors. He said recent performances along with eligibility, experience and overall requirements of Delhi cricket should be taken into consideration while making the appointment.“Therefore, I am asking the CAC to independently review all relevant records and applicable criteria before making any final decision,” Grover wrote, while also requesting that his communication be considered part of the official record of the selection and appointment process.